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Topic: Rambutan Fever in South Florida, USA (Read 4523 times)

[Disclaimer: I am not a Rambutan expert. This is all just Opinion and NOT-ADVICE.]

The soil in my (Zone 10) South Florida location is too acidic for Rambutan. This is what Iíve been able to gather after doing some research on this very helpful, Best of the Best, Forum. Question: Is there a way(s) to go around this?

These could be among the Best Course of Action Strategies, in order to have a fruit producing Rambutan Fruit Tree in South Florida:

Strategy #1Dig a Wide and Deep Hole; the wider & the deeper, the better (Is 5 feet Wide By 5 ft. Deep, or 10í Wide X 10í Deep, too much?). Then, fill it with good quality Potting Soil. Finally, plant the fruit-producing Rambutan fruit tree; The Source of the fruit producing Rambutan tree can be from Potted Seedlings, or a Grafted Fruit-Producing Rambutan tree that you bought from someone.

The ĎConí of this Strategy is: (A) Youíve got to have the Space, (B) The Effort & Time to dig the Hole, and (C) The $Money to purchase the quality Potting-Soil to fill the Big-Hole with.

Strategy #2Can a fruit producing potted Rambutan be grafted onto another species (i.e. Lychee, Longan, Spanish-Lime...) and still thrive & fruit in the Acidic South Florida Soil? Perhaps someone whoís done this can provide the detailed information on how it went, or is going.

Strategy #3Use Genetic Engineering Technology like CRISPR, so that the result is a Rambutan Variety that will thrive and fruit in the Acidic Soil of South Florida, just as its other Cousin-Species do, such as Lychee, Longan, Spanish-Lime...

P.S.Rambutan is a fruit that I want to get to know (in detail and scientifically-in-depth) more about; just as Iíve regularly seen ĎExpertsí routinely go about doing so in this Forum. This is because I find the taste of chilled Rambutan to be just great, and itís even easy & fun to eat; although the other King of the Fruits, the Lychee, still wins.

I may be crazy but I personally like rambutan better than lychee lol. They both are good though.The only source of rambutan I have gotten was from my local supermarket here in Arizona (shipped from Mexico I believe only certain times of the year) and those were very good.I have tasted fresh Lychees from the fruit and spice park and they are very good also ... but still prefer rambutan.

I may be crazy but I personally like rambutan better than lychee lol. They both are good though.The only source of rambutan I have gotten was from my local supermarket here in Arizona (shipped from Mexico I believe only certain times of the year) and those were very good.I have tasted fresh Lychees from the fruit and spice park and they are very good also ... but still prefer rambutan.

Seems like a lot of work to try and grow these!

True, but at least, the good news is that they will grow and produce fruit in this climate! Thatís a start! Something is something. And, thatís an Important something!

The soil in my (Zone 10) South Florida location is too acidic for Rambutan.

Did you have your soil tested? I ask because I heard and have seen that most Miami soils are alkaline calcium carbonate limestone.One problem you might also want to consider is cold protection for this tree like a greenhouse, for rambutan will suffer below 45 degrees F.

The soil in my (Zone 10) South Florida location is too acidic for Rambutan.

Did you have your soil tested? I ask because I heard and have seen that most Miami soils are alkaline calcium carbonate limestone.One problem you might also want to consider is cold protection for this tree like a greenhouse, for rambutan will suffer below 45 degrees F.

Right! It appears that the Alkaline composition of the South Florida soil is not agreeable to a fruit producing Rambutan fruit tree. But, there just has to be a way around this; Iím sure we can all just feel this in our bones! Right?

What we have going for us is that the Climate is agreeable to Rambutan. I mean, if it suffers below 45 degrees Fahrenheit (which is not too often), but will survive, I can live with that.

Bummer OB1, but itís not our only hope [couldnít resist]. This is News to me. And, although it would then just be another hurdle, it appears to me that Common Sense would dictate that itís not an insurmountable hurdle.

Just like (most likely) many others in South Florida (today as a matter of fact), I just ate several Rambutan (which I suppose are from Mexico) and added added the seeds to others that Iíve been saving (in a paper cup). My intention is to grow the seedlings to fruition. But, thanks to you, I now realize that the seedling(s) also have to be Cold Resistant. So, I now also have to look out for that. Although this may be laborious, itís not insurmountable. Itís just a matter (as it usually is) of planting the most seeds, and finding the Seedling with the most exceptional-fruit-quality GENETIC-adaptation for the local: Climate, Location, Environment, etc.

The South Florida Rambutan Mission has started (and is probably ongoing at several locations)!

I've tried growing rambutan several times here in east Miramar but, as you say, it really hates the sandy alkaline soil. Same, unfortunately, for pulasan and durian.

And on that note, I've been trialing durian for the last couple of years with no long-term success. But this year I'm trialing them again in a raised bed comprised entirely of composted mulch I got from one of those free online mulch delivery services. The way this MAY relate to your rambutan dilemma is that even very young durian plants send down an extremely long tap root. My plants are over 2 feet tall at the moment, so that taproot has certainly hit our crummy soil already (the mulch is only 4-5 inches thick) - but the durian plants seem to be as happy as can be. For the first time ever, I've had no leaf yellowing or dieback, absolutely no issues with fungal infections and haven't even needed to use phosphonic acid on them. Not even once. What I'm hoping is happening is that as the compost breaks down it is naturally acidifying the soil below it at least to the degree that it's acceptable to the plants. I'm planning to do some pH readings over the next couple of months to see what is happening under the ground. Maybe it's working, or maybe

To get production of rambutan in Florida i think strategy number 2 would be the way to go. But you have listed all the wrong roostocks. Much more likely would be other species in same genus of nephelium. One in particular i've mentioned before as likely candidate for rootstock for rambutan is korlan (Nephelium hypoleuceum). Korlan is from northern hilly part of Thailand where temperatures get a lot cooler than in rambutan areas. I think it is also more likely to take alkaline soils of Florida. I just don't know how compatible it is with rambutan. I don't think any experimentation has been done with this. But it's worth trying. It's not easy to obtain rare species of nephelium. But with perseverance it's possible.

OscarHow are the seeds doing of the Tadal. I was too late last year to order direct and I asked you if you had any andI think you told me you already planted them? Isn't this rambutan suppose tobe able to handle frost and is from N India?

I have a rambutan tree in the ground right now, about 3 foot tall but I don't think it will make it through this coming winter. I put the rambutan in ground last year and during winter time, I had to put a tall Uhaul moving box on it to cover it, and we never get below 50F. If the tree is more established, it would tolerate cold better.

How big does the rambutan tree needs to be in order to fruit? would 100 gallon pot work?

I have a rambutan tree in the ground right now, about 3 foot tall but I don't think it will make it through this coming winter. I put the rambutan in ground last year and during winter time, I had to put a tall Uhaul moving box on it to cover it, and we never get below 50F. If the tree is more established, it would tolerate cold better.

How big does the rambutan tree needs to be in order to fruit? would 100 gallon pot work?

I also grow durian for experiment. Will try to upload pictures later.

If you are in Lake Worth uou definitely got below 50F this past winter.

OscarHow are the seeds doing of the Tadal. I was too late last year to order direct and I asked you if you had any andI think you told me you already planted them? Isn't this rambutan suppose tobe able to handle frost and is from N India?

Another Nephelium species that might be interesting is Bulala. Oscar, should give you more info.

I don't get it, sorry. I've had both, and I'm perfectly happy with a good lychee. Kinda like arguing which mango is best. OS, LZ or PPK?? Wouldn't you be happy with any of those??

It's very subjective. To me, Lychee tend to gear toward more floral kind of experience while Rambutan is more like sugar cane less aromatic but taste sweet kind of experience. I think we just want it all!

Once you try a good pulasan, you can easily forget about the greatness of rambutans.

I donít think Iíve tried a good Pulasan. So, Iíll keep a lookout for them. Meanwhile, the Rambutan Fever continues.

P.S.They (the Rambutan) are hairy and red, rivaling (if not overpassing) the beauty of the Lychee; This fact is also a big Commercial plus!

I don't get it, sorry. I've had both, and I'm perfectly happy with a good lychee. Kinda like arguing which mango is best. OS, LZ or PPK?? Wouldn't you be happy with any of those??

Lychees are good, but it a different class. Lychees are a favorite any day. If the choice was between longan, rambutan, and pulasan. I might take the worst named pulasan variety over the best longan or rambutan variety. There are probably as many named pulasan varieties as longan varieties.

Disclaimer: I have 3 longans and 0 pulasans growing, but it is on my search list. It is extremely hard to find a good grafted one here.